Living Journeys: The Power of Sharing Stories of Cancer Survival
Amy Hill
By Darcie Perkins
Editor’s Note: In 2017, StoryCenter collaborated with Living Journeys to support survivors of cancer in sharing stories. Below, Living Journeys’ executive director Darcie Perkins reflects on what the digital storytelling workshop meant for her, both personally, and for the organization.
Living Journeys provides financial assistance, emotional support, and enrichment programs to Gunnison Valley, Colorado, residents affected by cancer. A year ago, our board of directors decided to create a video about the work of Living Journeys. We have always kept client stories confidential, and we weren’t sure what it would be like to ask them to speak about their experiences.
Fortunately, we stumbled across the work of StoryCenter, and this gave us the idea that maybe clients could create their own stories. We contacted the Denver office and spoke with Daniel Weinshenker. His passion for his work leapt through the phone, and it became clear that StoryCenter could help our organization share its story in a different way.
It has been said that making yourself vulnerable is where you find the courage to be yourself, and that vulnerability is the quality that makes relationships last. When a last minute cancellation created an opening, I found my role transformed from organizer to participant, requiring me to become vulnerable, too. In the workshop, I discovered StoryCenter’s process of guiding storytellers to find their moments of change and choice that captured our unique coping mechanisms for awareness and survival. This is an art form. Common threads bound each unique story in the room.
I began my personal story with the goal of explaining why I work for Living Journeys, but by the end of the first day of the workshop, I realized there was more I could share. As the time passed and the creation process unfolded, we, as storytellers, became more courageous, more ourselves, and the bonds between us strengthened.
The three-day workshop provided a powerful healing process for everyone, and Living Journeys will bring StoryCenter back to work with us again this year. All the storytellers have encouraged our organization to share their stories through websites and events. The stories inspire and illuminate Living Journeys’ role in improving quality of life for its clients. We showcased them as part of our fundraising gala last year, and the positive feedback we received was amazing. The stories give hope, comfort, courage, and strength to those who view them.
Seven stories were produced in the 2017 Living Journeys digital storytelling workshop. Watch them all online now, and learn more about StoryCenter’s work in health and human services.